Separate Can Never Be Equal

February 11 - 11:00 am
Main Library Conference Center

With the historic Brown vs. Board of Education decision, the United States Supreme Court ended segregated education in the United States; but for many African American communities, their schools were an integral part of their lives. What happened to these schools and communities after integration?

Join us for a conversation with Rebekah Dobrasko, from the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, and Dr. Carter Savage, from Morehouse College, as they share their research and portray the other side of segregation. Light refreshments to follow.

Educators and school groups are welcome; contact Jennifer Quier for details 615-862-5804 x6093.

View all African American History Month Events

Visit The Civil Rights Room at the Main Library

Nashville was the scene of a series of nonviolent demonstrations that posed a challenge to racial segregation in the South during the 1960’s. The Civil Rights Room features a permanent exhibit that captures the spirit of this movement. 

A symbolic circular table features a list of ten rules of conduct carried by the nonviolent protesters during the sit-in demonstrations. A time line captures a synopsis of local activities critical to the broader national civil rights movement. Witness the events in giant photographs reproduced from the library’s collection of Nashville Banner and Tennessean newspapers.

• View selected photos from the Civil Rights Collection
• Listen to excerpts from the Civil Rights Oral History Project
• Visit the Civil Rights Room - Map to the Main Library

Recommended Reading

• Staff Picks for African American History Month
  We asked our library staff members: "If you could choose only one title to read/listen to/watch during February to mark African American History Month, what would it be?" The results are in and the list includes all genres, formats, and age groups.
• Classic African-American Novelists and Essential Works
• Contemporary African American Fiction Authors